


Not So Very Quiet

by catie56 (catharsis)



Category: Emma - Jane Austen
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-06-25
Updated: 2011-06-25
Packaged: 2017-10-20 17:35:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/215300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/catharsis/pseuds/catie56
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harriet Smith learns a thing or two about men.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not So Very Quiet

Harriet Smith had never lived with a man, having been placed at Mrs. Goddard’s school early in her life.  So at first, she believed that Robert Martin’s behavior was typical of his sex.

“It is interesting,” she said as they sat near the fire, mending, “how men are so much quieter than women.”

“Whatever do you mean?” Elizabeth asked.

“Well, your brother hardly says a word at all!” Harriet explained.

“Robert speaks quite often,” Elizabeth replied, tilting her head in confusion.

“ _I_ have barely heard him say two words!” Realizing that this might seem impolite, she quickly added, “He is very agreeable, of course, and I often see him smile at us, but you must admit he speaks very little when we are all together.”

Elizabeth nodded and changed the subject, but later Harriet spied her near the woodpile with Robert, and wondered what they could be discussing so animatedly.

After dinner, Harriet was surprised to find that it was Robert who took the chair next to her. 

“Miss Smith,” he began softly, “do you have a favorite book?”

Harriet blushed, and later that evening reflected that perhaps Mr. Martin was not so _very_ quiet as she had initially thought.


End file.
